She's Not Kate
by Princess Angel Rose
Summary: Gibbs memory may have been faulty enough to make him call her Kate, but he always knows that she can never replace his girl.


**Okay, I'm not sure if, when Tony told Jen that Gibbs called Ziva Kate, that was actually shown. If it was, forget that it was. If not, just enjoy...and I don't own NCIS. Just to let you know.**

It was a little odd having to adjust to having two Gibbs on the team. This included the original, who seemed more calm than before, and Tony, Gibbs by default as he had become the team leader, who had been getting more crazed by the hour.

He came back as soon as her name was cleared, and he sat at his desk at three the consecutive afternoon, absent-mindedly reading over Tony's report and drinking coffee. He put the cup down and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"Is yours done Kate?" he asked impatiently, and everyone but him froze. Tony and McGee shared a frantic glance and Ziva eyed her boss as though he had grown another head. He lifted his eyes to meet hers and irritably inquired, "Didn't I ask you a question Officer David?"

"If you did," she began, trying to stay patient. "Then you just called me Kate, Agent Gibbs."

He shook his head and his voice rose to a louder pitch. "Kate, Todd, Ziva…does it matter, Officer David? I asked if you had your report to hand into me. Do you?"

"Y-yes, Gibbs." She didn't seem nearly as hurt as she was worried, but it was there. She handed him the paperwork and waited in front of his desk for him to acknowledge her further.

"You can go now, David." He seemed irritated, and she quickly gathered her things and left, knowing when it was best to leave him alone. McGee and Tony were still staring at him as he started to read the report. When he looked up, he glared first at Tim, then at DiNozzo, but he honed in on McGee first.

"Well?"

His eyes widened and he began to stutter, but before long had evacuated the bullpen. Tony was briefly reminded of horror films where everyone else was picked off one by one until there was only one left. He couldn't help but think that the last person in the horror movie always got it worse, with the most fear and pain. Plus when Gibbs was in a bad mood, it was a lot more dangerous than Jason. By now, Gibbs had gone back to his paperwork, but Tony continued to stare his way.

"You all right boss?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Gibbs snapped, and only Tony, who slowly stood and circled his desk, would have been brave enough to continue.

"Well, boss…you just called Ziva _Kate_."

"So?" he asked insistently as he glared at his younger colleague. "Does it matter, DiNozzo?"

"Well, yeah, Gibbs, cause…Kate's not here anymore," Tony reminded him, swallowing his own tears.

"Don't you think I know that, DiNozzo?" he exclaimed, slamming his pen down onto the desk. "If Kate were still here, Ziva wouldn't be! I wouldn't have gone to Mexico, and you probably wouldn't be left in charge if I did!" He sighed. "A lot would be different if Katie were still here."

"I know, Gibbs," Tony whispered, sharing his grief. Kate had been a big part of both of their lives and a very important person to both of them. He missed her like hell and he knew that his boss did too. "I know."

"She'd have liked Ziva," Gibbs assumed, thinking aloud. "They would have had a lot in common."

"They would," Tony agreed. They were different in some of the ways they showed their emotions, but the same in their passion and their heart, as well as how much they had to offer to their position as an agent. Tony let Gibbs go on as if he had said nothing.

"But she's not Kate."

Tony shook his head and, so softly that only Gibbs' super hearing could pick up on it, said, "No, boss. She's not."

After a few moments of heartbreaking silence in which both men wished they could fall apart but couldn't, whether because their bodies wouldn't let them or their pride, Gibbs let out a heartfelt sigh. So quietly that Tony knew Gibbs was talking to himself, the latter spoke, in a voice so thick with sorrow and desperation that it was like a sob.

"She's not my Kate."


End file.
